Before Aperture
by Crymson Onyx
Summary: Yep, another middle-of-the-night spur of the moment idea. A oneshot about what happened right before Bring Your Daughter to Work Day. Ah, I love Portal. Enjoy(: Of course, I own nothing.


The sun was just rising as I heard Him get up. I was in my bed, wanting to go back to sleep, but I knew I had to ask Him then, when He was barely awake. He would never allow me to go when He was fully awake.

I inwardly groaned, forcing myself to swing my legs out of bed and silently hopping onto the floor. I padded out to the kitchen just as He was making coffee, and I made sure He heard me so as to not be startled.

"Good morning, Chell. It's a bit early, wouldn't you agree?" He said turning around. He knew my footsteps, even at six in the morning.

In the dim light of the kitchen lamp, I could see His confused expression.

"Hi," I gave Him a hug, which He gladly accepted. He smelled of freshly ground coffee beans.

"Now, why are you awake? Have you forgotten that it's summer already?" He chuckled softly.

I shook my head. "No, I want to come with you today. You know, Bring Your Daughter to Work Day."

His eyes widened slightly. "How did you know about that?"

I crossed my arms. "It's on your work calendar in your room. I saw it because I needed printer paper from your desk the other day."

He sighed and kneeled down to my level, placing both hands on my shoulders. "Chell, you need to understand. I do not want you there today. Because someone thought it would be brilliant to have a Bring Your Daughter to Work Day on the same day that our, err, project is being tested. It just isn't safe, and if anything goes wrong, there is no guaranteeing your safety."

"Please let me go. I'll behave, honest! I'll be nice to the other girls. I won't 'speak my mind' as much as you say I do. Or at all." I had a feeling it was more about me than His project. I didn't have many friends, because everyone thought I was too mean for saying what I thought. Everyone said I was too emotionless. Too blank. I just didn't find some things very interesting, and I thought emotion was wasted if it wasn't genuine.

And I didn't like using many words. Even this conversation, something probably considered small to other people, was killing me. I hated saying more than I had to. Or wanted to.

"Why is it so urgent that you go? Whenever I ask you about it, you always say science isn't for you."

I was getting impatient, but I forced myself to speak. "I at least want to know _where _you work. I think it might be fun to be with you for a day. Besides, what's so dangerous about your project anyway?" I really didn't know fully why I wanted to go so badly. I just knew part of it was curiosity.

He sighed. "All I can tell you is that it's dangerous. So dangerous, that if I could find work elsewhere I would."

"Why can't you work somewhere else? Like Black Mesa?" I was starting to regret even asking to go, but I couldn't stop now.

"I just… I just can't, Chell. This is the only job I can have right now, and once it's finished, I'll be able to find work elsewhere and we can move to a better home. But only when it's complete."

We were starting to get off subject. "Please, just this once, can I please go?" I sat on the floor, crossing my legs Indian style.

He sat down next to me and sighed. "There is no way to change your mind, is there?"

I shook my head, exasperated from all the talking.

He sighed again. "Fine, fine, you can go. But you have to promise to stay in the room where it will be held, until I get you. Promise me."

"I promise."

"Good. Now go get dressed, and then come and eat breakfast." He stood up and continued to make his coffee.

I smiled silently, skipping to my room to change. As I left, I heard Him mumble something about my tenacity.

I quickly changed into play clothes, and put some silver moon earrings in to match my silvery-grey eyes. He had gotten them for me, so I wanted to take extra measures to get on His good side. After I was finished, I ran back into the kitchen, careful not to be loud and wake Her up.

He smiled at me as I re-entered the kitchen. It was a strange smile, one he used when he was trying not to laugh.

"I just remembered something. Today, they'll have you make your own little projects. Apparently no one bothered to make sure they were, umm, up to your standards as children of scientists." He said, trying to keep a straight face but failing.

I gave Him a questioning look, breaking my blank stare for a moment. I had a feeling it was going to be something I wouldn't like.

"It will probably be as trivial and easy as it sounds, but you'll be making Potato Batteries."

The annoyance on my face must have been apparent, because He just started laughing. It really _would _be easy. I had made them dozens of times before, but they always turned out the same. But after I ate breakfast, after I said goodbye to Her and we left, as we were in the car headed for Aperture Science, I had an idea.

I decided I would just use some of His ingredients. Maybe it would make the potato grow larger? After all, Aperture Science was known for making very large, but sometimes deadly, things.


End file.
